Moderate Drinking During Pregnancy Linked With IQ Drop

Even moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy could have a significant impact on the IQ of an unborn child, says a new study from researchers at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol in the U.K.

For the study, the researchers examined the IQ scores of roughly 4,000 children and also surveyed their mothers on alcohol consumption during pregnancy. They found that children born to mothers who consumed between one and six drinks weekly during pregnancy often possessed a genetic variant related to the metabolism of alcohol.

Four levels of genetic modification were observed and each variance equated to a roughly two-point drop in IQ. Lead researcher Dr. Ron Gray of Oxford recommends the expectant moms play it safe:

"It is for individual women to decide whether or not to drink during pregnancy, we just want to provide the evidence. But I would recommend avoiding alcohol. Why take the risk?"